BASF supports chair in composite materials at Western University

BASF Canada has announced its support for a proposed research chair at Western University in the area of composite materials for high volume production, especially in the automotive sector.

“The technology in composite materials is evolving quickly and BASF’s support for this research chair will allow Western to remain at the forefront of research and development in this area,” said Western Engineering Dean Andrew Hrymak.

Western Engineering is seeking exceptional candidates for a proposed chair to be supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada in their Industrial Research Chair program.

“BASF is pleased to offer support for an NSERC Industrial Research Chair at Western University. We share the same interest and welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively in developing competencies in the field of thermoplastic composites for lightweighting of transportation materials,” stated Steve Fischer, Director of Composites Research in North America.”The chairholder will join an established team of composites researchers and the Fraunhofer Project Centre for Composites Research at Western University to focus on composites development and testing, fiber-reinforced composites, property characterization and composite processing.

The Fraunhofer Project Centre for Composites Research is a joint venture between Western University and the Fraunhofer Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) in Pfinztal, Germany. The Fraunhofer Project Centre for Composites Research develops, tests, validates and characterizes new lightweight materials and advanced manufacturing processes at industrial scale. By combining Fraunhofer's latest global technologies and Western's strengths in materials engineering, the Centre proactively addresses the needs of its industry partners.

Interested applicants can learn more about this opportunity by contacting Andrew Hrymak, Dean, Western Engineering (519) 661-2128 or via email at ahrymak@uwo.ca